Ecca Vandal – "Looking for People to Unfollow" Album Review
- Artist: Ecca Vandal
- Album: Looking for People to Unfollow
- Release Date: May 22, 2026
- Label: Loma Vista Recordings
- Tracks: 17
- Produced by: Ecca Vandal & Richie Buxton
- Genre: Punk / Alternative / Trip-Hop / Electronic
- Follow-up to: Ecca Vandal (2017, Dew Process)
I first encountered Ecca Vandal in the summer of 2025, through an Instagram reel for the single "Sorry! Crash!" The energy packed into that twenty-second clip was enough to keep me replaying it for minutes at a stretch. Reels for "Cruising to Self Soothe" and "Molly" followed, and with each one my curiosity about this Australian genre-bending artist grew — a testament, frankly, to some savvy work by her marketing team.
For a while, it seemed a full-length album might never materialize; between festival appearances and a steadily growing profile, I'd honestly lost track of the fact that a record was in progress — until last weekend, when it finally surfaced in my Tidal feed, despite having been released back on May 22, 2026 via Loma Vista Recordings. I dove into this 17-track second studio album — her first full-length since her self-titled 2017 debut — to hear what she'd envisioned, and what I found was an unexpectedly rich sonic and emotional journey that moves fluidly across genres.
A Hardcore-Punk-Meets-Pop Opening
The album's first half draws on the best instincts of contemporary hardcore acts like Turnstile, fusing them with pop melodicism that elevates the material considerably. Ecca's vocals and songwriting — alongside co-producer and multi-instrumentalist Richie Buxton — carry real emotional weight, particularly on tracks like "Molly," "Bleed but Never Die," and "Eyes Shut." The record's real surprise, though, is its tonal pivot roughly halfway through its 17-track runtime: from chaotic, high-energy anger to a cooler, trip-hop-inflected, electronically driven social and political sensibility.
Genre-Blending Done Right
For some listeners, that shift may prove divisive. But in an era when genre lines are no longer as rigid as "rock is rock" and "rap is rap," Ecca's genre-blending will likely resonate with listeners who appreciate musical range. A standout example is how the lo-fi hardcore punk of "Dance in Debt" transitions seamlessly into the chilled electronica of "Ghosts." Despite sitting at opposite ends of the musical spectrum, the two tracks work in concert to convey a single, unified emotional idea — a genuinely masterful sequencing choice.
Final Verdict
This stands as one of the year's strongest releases, whether measured against punk or electronic/trip-hop/hip-hop output. Ecca Vandal's recent live performances further underscore that she refuses to be confined to a single genre, making for a compelling experience whether witnessed live or through her recordings.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)